New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-02
MANY SHOPS AND ONE ROOF,
THE OLD COUNTRY STORE GLoRlTlED.

mo SrVWth OK tho system OF conducnnG genoru
business under one roof tn this country ono OF tho
seeming parsdoxes VI the times. This ase u often
called one Of speciates, and perhaps this puzsins
gcneraisatop Of trado In house Is the exoepoon
thss proves the rule. In thfs city tho number %
great firms engaged In general traffic, carrying onf
ther lines to Logical conclusions In most cases. can DO
counted on the Hngers Of one hand But there u
also largo number Of establishments here whose gen
eral departments are fairly numerous and comprehen
sve and which show a tendency to follow In the foot
steps OF such pioneers Macy, Ridley and Enrich, OF
this city: Wechsler & Abraham, Of Brooklyn; Wan
amaker, Of Philadelphia, and tho "Bee Hive" OF
Chicago. ParadoxicaI this fom Of business
may seem In the heart Of great
city like New-Yorl, where monopoly is
King and Speciality Queen" its origin is easy to trace
The Yankee notion store. where one can buy anything
from darning needle to egg and In which ingre-
dents Of dinner, the materials Of q wardrobe and
the elements Of agriculture lie in inoongrous prox-
unity with the United States mall bag Is popularity
supposed to DO an institution peculiar to rural ds-
trcts. But after all what these huge emporfums
but tho elaborated and systematfzed Yankee notion
store, where can find all tho necessities OF metro
poan household life and luxuries, which start at
postage stamp and end with a luncheon q 10 carte
1t is the Of tho business that amazes, not iS
origin.
There L. no establishment In this country that rivals
whitley's, Of London, or the Bon Marcho and the
Louvre, Of Paris, except In showfness OF extefnas,
the arrangement of the establishments themselves,
the exchange and cash systems. At Whitley's the
provision department includes excellent dinners which
reach, or attempt to reach, an epicurean climax
In wine But as the growth OF this general business
In this country Is comparatively recent, IL is 70 10
expected that this deficiency will BIO made up In some
way. Already establishment In this city Is talk
ing Of adding dentist and his parurs t. Its already
numerous departments, and after the denuss tine
Nood-cert alnly blood and-welll there you nave
clarct But though the European establishments may
be ON a more settled and extensive basis Than INC
home institutions, the American growth 10 almost
mushroom In its character having arisen In the iase
decade. The leading American firms were estaoilsheo
shortly before the War. These firms and otheTS
similar in kind though not in degree, grew slowly the
trunk of the business developing In tho dry goods
line then the limbs stretching out to embrace inc
collateral interests Of household furnishings and arts
sPRINGING FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS.
one firm In this city, however, started as q notion
storo selling thread needles and millinery gooas Inc
owner Of the store, which now often makes l2'ooo
saIes n day. doing an annual business OF $i,ooo,oOo
and employing 1000 hands, had then three Ut iour
assistants. Ho added trimmings to his stock ana as
that departure successful he opened sinai uepi.
ments OF books stationery and confectionery. People
found II convenient to be able to buy so many thhes
under one roof and tho Innovation began to take he
next offered fancy goods perfumery and toilet arces'
TOYS came next and this departure was the ne VI .no
times and led to departments In ades sui.s' cioaa0'
boys' clothing, black silks and dfess goo1, "h''A'
followed each other In natural sequence. oroohois
and glassware were the next a1itohs' In ,hiS ""s
this establish ment and others Ike It began anu ran'
ouletlv and steadily until ten yeais ago. when tney
all bIooned out before public like big plants tna'
had been Gomez allng their beauty for suuach oo''o
ing Since that time, which men eheasou III Wv
| business consider the real start Vi 'ho7o nus
combinations Of trade, the system has grown iali"s
Furthermore, these merchants all point 10 germs VI
/ In cir
| ono vounr employe, who has studied his business
from a scientific point Of view, says that 'nero Id.
been no retro.ado movement III Ills uusines' IA"
that the necessity of new departures Is cohlihua"S
| apucaIing His firm now employs 4 'an'r Sno ~
vnung employe asserts that that Innovation points W
49, a,,anlI.hing OF q tallors custom department In
,ho near future But more interesting aie his views
ON thu, unsxp ected evolution Of the business
at seems quite logical" said he, that We should
| have n dentist in establishment beiofo ions.
Hundreds people visit our store every Jay an
sometImes it is so crowded hero when speoa sa.es
| 49,, Io, t,at xre have to close doors and let
| neon,e in I'm small numbers These huge stoNs a'
| ANAL communities. You can buy Whatever you "sin
in the way of household necessities except oo"pf'o
| stoo, of provisions with wine. But In our cApoii"
coaee-pots with which we furnish conee " oui ouo"
crs as, from the restaurant, Is quite possipo W SCI
49,. ,ncention of a provision department. one nrih
near this city sells coal. People patroniAc 'heso
establishments because 1t Is convenient TO ouy all sou
want under one roof, and OF couise IN inc eene
| M trade I'm the combination OF so many ~noien'
| stocks prices are naturally lower tah tnose a.
snec,aitv establishments. We have about fifty do
.o,s eoch one of which Is managed by one
nan the storekeeper Of that branch Of Qua sor Iherc
"a sort OF penero1s rivalry among these department.
| and IL Is difficult to say what STOCK oi soou' 'i'
hest here The secret of tho success Oh TINS ior VI
business is IN keeping trade at home' ana somo VI
40 ,housands Of people who flock here suffer with
rs a
| -, ~ tho entire schemei" The reporter sug-
| 80 thar An orchestra or brass band might nave
| 70 be added to the musical department. IN "i"r ="
| carry IL out to logical cohcius'on' hhe o"ro'
ouetlv laughed and exhibited NUMBER Vi hno niuSi0
hoyes "These," said he, "are like tho piano-a CON
,t substi,ute for the orchestra, and 80 We suggest
! the logical outcome though VIC Don always '~' "
out"
ruousANps OF HANDS EMPLOYED
, ers encaged In this business in this city employ
! , ooo IA 1000 hands during ordinary uiheS'
running as high as 5000 In the hoiiuay so"0o'
| firm 1, said to do a business OF So'ooo'ooo s~'
s "a all these establishments had as humpie .
| tccinning IA the whose CROWN mas peon ""o."
" ass and evolution seem to offer one OF the
800. Interesting business problems OF the times' Iney
-, 80 IN the neghborhood Of fifty sepaa ate depart
| .n,a ono can GIT excellent Idea VI "na' hoe0
e.tahlis ailments sell as well az thofr "oeno'' ~ -
| ,,,,n, an energetic woman around one Vi 'noso e
lAo s''i do stotes 1t is like trying TO do
on0 T., three months to this store In one VISIT
Eui' -, en-. elevator aud the huge machine glos
~" '.~ the roof tho professional tones OF the
up 'o"" o,,endant have q most familiar sound to
those who have heard brakeman on the eSvaSa
railroads sing out something that sounds IKE .,ssnSr
- change Gram Cent shun. your eio'"'of
un"S'' 49,. dnar,mcnts UP as rechiessly as l1nafore
man n'A nSan no sings out "scc' floor; mier DEPART
pao'.'' 80. ladies, cioaks babies, hosiery passed.
a-cemetry ana s nan YOUR respect for woman Is In
you when you how readily she xaSt sS
and Get s clothing s' for
pose s sr9 house, her time Is Limited wS Sss h
iS herself oy with ' s she buys
checked soho The sale Is noted the card and she